That Simple Gesture
by Oakland-Dreamer-Mark1
Summary: Patrick Jane began to rethink his life. He felt he seemed to be continuously doing this recently.Her name was Teresa Lisbon and he had more than friendly feelings for. Will this new lead on Red John change their relationship? ... JISBON HAPPENS!
1. Lead

_**Hey thanks for looking here and thinking about reading my fanfic. Right this is my first Mentalist fanfic so please go easy on me. I hope you enjoy it. **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters only the plot lines that my mind makes up.**_

_**Chapter 1**_

As he sank slowly, deeper into the soft, worn, brown leather of his favourite sofa Patrick Jane began to rethink his life. He felt he seemed to be continuously doing this recently. I mean, yes things had got better, he had some brilliant friends/colleges that always stuck with him, he had a good job that changed everyday and he was helping catch evil bastards and put them in jail. But the only thing that he was missing right now was a family. Ever since Red John had murdered his wife and child Patrick had been on a mission to catch that murdering git and make him suffer from what he did. But was that what he really wanted any more? Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, in some ways yes, he had made him suffer his entire life since that day. He had been into hospital, had counselling and even then the pain still hadn't let up. But in other ways no, it was completely against all he had learnt from the CBI and the agents there, and it would upset his friends. There was one particular friend that Patrick never wanted to hurt, ever. Her name was Teresa Lisbon, and she was the only person that Patrick had ever seen, since his wife, that he had more than friendly feelings for. But as he twiddled his wedding ring between his fingers he remembered what that simple band of gold meant to him, the ever lasting tie between him and his wife.

"But she's dead now," one side of his mind said. "It would make her unhappy to see you like this. She would want you to get out there and carry on with your life. Don't waste it always being upset and lonely, that's not what she would have wanted."

"You loved her" the other side of his mind said, "why does that love have to stop now? Can't it go on for as long as_ you_ shall live?"

Patrick closed his eyes, trying in vain to drown out all of his thoughts. Man that was hard, his thoughts now seemed to be manifesting themselves in real speech. Oh no hang on, that was real speech, someone was trying to talk to him. He opened one sleepy eye and looked up into a face. He blinked trying to clear the faint mist of sleep from them.

"Listen Jane, if you're not going to get up I am not going to tell you about our new lead!" Lisbon's clear voice rang through the air. She was standing over him, hands on hips looking thoroughly disgruntled.

"New lead?" Jane asked, rubbing the sleep from his gentle green eyes, "What case?"

"How about, that case that we've been working for years now! How can you forget!" Lisbon really sis despair sometimes, Jane was very clever, but sometimes she swore he swapped brains with a snail or something.

"Red John!" Patrick said, jumping up, almost jumping right into Lisbon.

"No, some other psychopathic maniac! Of course bloody Red John!"

"Alright, alright. I'm up, I'm awake, where do you need me?" Patrick said, raising his hands in mock surrender.

"Over here," Lisbon said walking into her office, Jane following after her, shutting the door quietly. "We were doing a random sweep search through our old files and found this." She handed him a photo, showing a bloody hand, under the nails there was a slight sign of something unusual. "This was taken from Red John's first murder. That stuff under the nails, well it was skin, DNA Jane, we have his DNA!"

"Not…just ….. not possible!" Jane was stunned. It just wasn't possible. Red John was always so clean, he never left anything unless he wanted to. "He wanted you to find this Lisbon. He doesn't do mistakes!"

"Well, we traced it anyway." Lisbon said, taking the photo back again, and slipping it back into the file.

"And?" Jane asked, nervously adjusting his waistcoat.

"We got a hit. Michael Travis. A young man from Sacramento, moved here from England four year ago. Brown hair, Caucasian, worked in offices. Would be in his mid thirties by now."

"What do you mean would be?" Patrick suddenly interrupted.

"Urm, well here's the creepy thing."

"Oh come on Lisbon, how can it be creepy?"

"Well, its creepy because he died three year previous to the murder."

"And that would be creepy because? People lie Lisbon, people can fake death."

"Not when they've been burned alive in an office fire and a DNA match was made after the death. DNA doesn't lie Jane."

"Meh, science can be wrong,"

"Not this time Jane, dental records were also matched, they don't lie either!"

"Can we got check it out anyway?" Jane asked, pulling on his puppy dog face. His green eyes growing into large glistening orbs. "Pwetty pwease Lisbon?"

"All right, but you must behave yourself. No offending people, and no hypnosis, God help you if you use that again." Lisbon grabbed her coat, her badge from off her desk and her glock from her drawer.

"YAY!" Patrick said, he merrily jogged to his desk, grabbed his coat from off the back of his chair and ran to join Lisbon.

The two of then left for the car, Jane looking very very excited and happy.

"Why is Jane so happy?" Rigsby asked looking at his boss and his college.

"Maybe Jane finally asked Lisbon out on a date?" Cho said, not looking up fro his work.

"Really those two?" Rigsby said, jerking his thumb over at Patrick and Teresa.

"Oh yeah, don't you see the way hat he looks at her when she's not looking." Cho said looking into Rigsby's blank face. "Judging by that no. Well she does it to him too."

"Cho's right you know." Van Pelt put in, looking up from her typing.

"Really, how can you guy's tell?" Rigsby leaned forward interested now.

"Body language." Van Pelt and Cho said together, getting back to their work.

_**Please review, it will really help me learn about what you guys like and don't like. But no flamers please. I like constructive criticism not plain meanness Love Oakland xoxoxo. **_


	2. House Visit

**Thank you soo much to all those who reviewed my first chapter. All your support really helped me. Well this is the second instalment. Dinosaur toys to those who review and death by poking to those who don't :P**

_**Chapter 2**_

"Jane would you please slow down," Lisbon said and they pulled 3G turns around the bends.

"No, not really." Jane smiled, he looked over at Lisbon who was holding onto her seat for dear life. He chuckled slightly under his breath. Seeing the look on her face he eventually gave in and slowed to a respectable speed.

"Thank you." Lisbon said, pulling herself into a more upright sitting position, adjusting the seat belt slightly. "Glad to see that you can listen to some instructions."

"Hey you never commanded me to slow down. It was a request."

"And what makes you think that?"

"Well for a start you said 'please' and another thing is that your eyes pleaded for me to slow down. And people who give commands don't plead with their eyes."

"Oh I hate it when you do your mind reading thing."

Patrick turned back to the wheel and concentrated on driving, well he concentrated part of his mind on driving. The other was going on a wild and very exciting fantasy. Okay maybe not wild, but it was exciting, in many, many ways. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Lisbon looking at him. Her eyes full of emotion, they were really giving her away right now. I mean they always did but now especially. The look she was giving him was an adoring, admiring look with a slight protective edge to it.

"You looking for something Lisbon?" Jane asked quietly, still looking right in front oh him, at the road. He saw Lisbon blush brightly.

"No, just thinking."

"Oh, about what?"

"None of your business."

"I think it is Lisbon, as you know. I can read your thoughts, and I somehow think that I might have something to do with them." Jane smiled triumphantly, knowing he had won, knowing he was right. Lisbon blushed again.

"Alright then yes," Lisbon said, quickly thinking of something to shut him up, trying to cool the heat in her face. "I was thinking how I can stop you getting into trouble for a change. Wouldn't it be nice to actually behave yourself for once?"

"Meh, maybe, depends"

"Depends on what?"

"Depends how much you want me to behave. And what your gunna do if I'm naughty." Jane had a teasing look in his eye. That mischievous glint spelled trouble for the task ahead. "So Teresa, what are you gunna do if I'm naughty?" Patrick pressed.

"Shoot you." Lisbon answered plainly.

"You sure Lisbon? You don't want to do anything else to me instead?" He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"Bite me" Lisbon said, she turned her head to look out of her window and attempted to ignore Jane. This wasn't normal behaviour. He never normally flirted with her. Okay so she was enjoying it, a lot! But still, did this really mean he has moved on from his wife? Did this mean that she had the faintest possibility of getting her dream, the thing she had wanted almost since he had started at the CBI.

Jane pulled his car into the address that was given in the case file and opened the door and clambered out. He stepped onto a long gravel drive way, lined with trees, heading towards a small blue cottage. He shut the car door quietly behind him and walked, hands in pockets towards the small dwelling. Lisbon could tell by the way Jane was walking that he was profiling the place already, trying to get a sense of the kind of person that lives here. The place was immaculate, not a leaf or stone out of place. Defiantly the kind of person that could commit a clean murder.

Jane reached the door and knocked confidently. Lisbon arrived on the doorstep beside him while he waited for the door to open.

"Jane, promise me you'll be polite. Please"

"Your pleading again Lisbon," Patrick said, grinning at her boyishly. He was beginning to enjoy this whole making Lisbon blush thing. The colour that tinted her pale cheeks reminded him of delicate rose petals. "And your blushing again." Patrick said, pointing at Teresa's face.

Lisbon was just about to make a come back when the door opened. It revealed a lady in her mid thirties wearing jeans, a black fitted shirt, trainers and an apron with flowers on it. She had faint blue eyes and long brown hair.

"Hi, Sandra Travis?" the lady nodded, "my name's Agent Teresa Lisbon, CBI" Lisbon said, flashing her badge. "I was wondering if we could come in and just ask you a few questions?"

"Yeah, urm sure, come right through. I'm just cooking tea."

They all entered the pristine kitchen, all white and clinical looking. Not a pot was of place. The only thing that told them that the place hadn't been completely disinfected was the pot of bubbling soup that sat on the spotless stove.

"Urm, would you like a cup of tea, coffee, which ever you prefer?" Sandra asked nervously.

"Tea, thank you." Patrick replied brightly, glad to see that some people still had the common courtesy to offer refreshments to guests.

Five minuets later they were all seated around the wooden table that sat in the middle of the sterile kitchen. Each had a cup of tea in front of them.

"We would like to talk about your brother Michael." Lisbon said gently, aware that talking about her late brother could be a painful topic.

"Yeah, sure" Sandra said, tightening her hold on the tea cup as she spoke.

"Did your brother have a mental illness or show any psychopathic tendencies?" Lisbon asked.

"No, never, Michael was a good man. He loved his family, he would never have hurt anyone." Sandra started to cry, big, fat, pearly tears rolled down her reddened cheeks and onto her shirt, dampening it slightly.

"Did he have any other family, apart from you?" Jane asked, as Lisbon had requested he was being civil and polite.

"No, just me and my husband, our mother but she died 3 years ago, and…"

"Yes?" Patrick prompted, leaning forward, looking deep into Sandra's eyes, searching for answers.

"Well, he, we had a brother too. But we don't talk about him. He's mad, he was sent away when I was very young."

"Do you know where he is know Sandra?" Lisbon asked, sensing Patrick shift slightly. He was getting restless, she had the strange feeling he had seen something important that he needed to tell her.

"No, no I don't. Why has he done something wrong?"

"No, of course not. We're just following some old paper work." Lisbon lied smoothly.

"Well thank you for your time Sandra." Patrick said, extending out his hand.

Sandra took it and they shock hands, she did the same with Lisbon. Patrick left the house in deep thought. Something had set his spider senses tingling and he could quite put his finger on it. He climbed into his car and waited for Lisbon, combing through his mind.


	3. Food?

**Thank you to the people that reviewed my second chapter, as a reward you get cookies. As punishment to those who didn't I shall send the magic circle assassins to hunt you down. Well I hope you enjoy this next instalment. **

_**Chapter 3**_

Patrick's car zoomed along the almost empty streets; a look of deep concentration was plastered to its driver's face. Lisbon sat in the passenger seat, glancing worried looks at her college, something was deeply worrying him, and something that deeply worried Jane was something that should send panic running through everyone else.

"Jane, is there something you want to talk about? You look really worried about something." Lisbon asked, trying to look into Jane's face for any sign of emotion apart from anxiety.

"Well, when we were at the house I had a suspicion that Sandra was hiding something." Patrick said, keeping his eyes glued firmly to the road. "My suspicions were then confirmed when she said that she didn't know where other brother was. She lied to us Lisbon. She lied." On the last sentence his voice broke, showing his pain, his hands tightening on the wheel.

"Jane, its fine," Teresa said soothingly, unsure how to comfort her friend, "we'll find out the truth I promise." She flipped out her phone and dialled a well known number. "Van Pelt, I need you, Cho and Rigsby to find out as much as you can about Sandra Travis and her family and background, look for anything that pops."

"So, now you have the children working, you wanna go grab something to eat?" Jane said looking into Lisbon's eyes.

"Jane I think this is hardly the time. Your stressed and I need to go and watch over the others."

"They're not five anymore Lisbon, they'll be fine for an hour or so. I'm not stressed, I'm just, well doesn't matter what I am. What I do need though is food." Patrick turned to her and gave one of his best grins, his green eyes crinkling with the motion.

"Oh, all right then, where are we going?" She gave in with a sigh.

"Well I believe that there is this wonderful little sandwich bar just around this corner. " Patrick announced happily, the prospect of getting food was a good one, and with the addition of Lisbon it made it even better. The car rounded the corner and he pointed to the place.

"That's not a sandwich bar Jane" Lisbon pointed out as she followed his line of vision to the place in question.

"And?"

"I don't even know what that it."

"Its called a Pub I believe, they have them all around the place in England. They serve food and drinks, apparently their brilliant meeting places too!"

"Your taking me to an English Pub?" Lisbon said slightly shocked, not sure whether this was a good or bad thing.

"Yeah, they're spose to do good food."

They pulled into the crowed car park and stepped out of the car. Patrick walked round and offered his arm out to Lisbon, a questioning look on his face. She knew without him even having to speak what he was asking. She slid her arm tenderly into his and he tucked it tightly to his chest. Ad they walked across the car park to the building Lisbon could feel the calming steady beat of Jane's heart. At that moment she wanted to lay her head on his shoulder, to better listen to that strong pulsating sound. They looked up at the 'pub' and noticed it was very different from many of the buildings that usually inhabited this part of the country. Obviously the owners had tried to make it look as authentic as possible, and they had done a good job too. A chocolate brown thatched roof gave the old, cottage look but the smoke coming from the brick chimney and smell of burning wood invited you warmly in. It was built with what looked like chalk, but on closer inspection it turned out to be wattle and daub, painted in traditional white paint. Patrick pushed open the dark wood door and gestured for Lisbon to go inside, he followed close behind.

"Wow," Lisbon breather quietly as she felt Jane's presence move to just behind her. "This is well urm, very quaint."

The room they had just entered had a low slung ceiling with protruding wooden beams stretching across in almost every direction possible. The walls were painted a rusty brown colour and the floor was deep oak. There was a fire crackling beneath a brick hearth and the walls were adorned by the most bizarre of objects. Beer mats, old metal implements and farming equipment littered the walls, paintings put in the odd appearance, but when they did they tended to feature a farming scene or some price animal.

"Come on, lets grab a table" Patrick said, steering Lisbon over to a cosy two chaired table by the fire. He pulled out the chair for her and motioned for her to sit, sliding the chair in for her as she did. "Right, so what do you want?" He asked picking up the menu after sliding into the seat opposite.

"Oh, I dunno." She replied, looking down the strange menu. "Is this what they eat in England?"

"Apparently so." Patrick answered, seeming to be concentrating more on the food choices in front of him than Lisbon. "Oh look, I know. I am going to have the sausages and mashed potato. Lisbon?"

"Urmmm… May I have the steak and ale pie with chips." She replied, still flicking through the menu.

"Of course you may, now drinks?"

"A coke please."

"Sure, nothing a little stronger." Patrick raised his eyebrows slightly.

"We're on duty Jane." She reproved gently.

"Righto." Jane jumped out of his seat and went over to the till to order the food.

While he was gone Lisbon just sat there taking in the atmosphere of the place. It gave you a warm cosy feeling inside, a really nice place to be on a cold and rainy winters day. That must have been why the British liked them so much, it was always cold and raining there. It wasn't long before Jane came back and slid once again into his seat, placing a glass of cola in front of her. He took a swig from his own drink, apple juice by the look of it, and spoke.

"Sooo… What do you wanna talk about then?" He said to her, looking over the top of his glass at her. His green eyes sparkling in the light from the fire.

"I don't know Jane. You think of something."

"I can't"

"Well that isn't normal. Jane can't think of something," Lisbon said in false shock.

"No, I can think of something, I just thought of offering for you to start the conversation. Well either that or we sit here awkwardly for duration of the meal. What ever you prefer."

"Well _I_ thinkthat we would _both_ prefer if we talked a bit. Urm how about we talk about our hobbies. So Jane, what do you do for a hobby?"

"Well I sleep on the couch, I do sudoko, and I go to work."

"That's not a hobby Jane, work is work."

"Meh, it's a hobby to me. How about you then Lisbon? Got any hobbies?"

"Not really, I listen to music."

"Hmmm.. What kind?"

"What kind of music do you think Jane?" Lisbon teased, she decided that she was going to play him. Get him to do his magic tricks on her. She always liked the way that he worked, the way he always found the truth no matter what.

"Me well," He paused, thinking, "You would listen to music from your teenage or university days. I am going to take a guess here. The Spice Girls?"

"Okay, so you have now only proved that you have stalked my apartment."

"But I was right, and no Lisbon I have not stalked your apartment."

Just then their food arrived. Piled high on substantial china plates. The food looked delicious. The kind of food that reminds you of home and gives you a warm, relaxed, full feeling after. The waiter put it down on that table and warned them of the hot plates and told them to enjoy their meal and walked off back to the kitchens.

"Cor, their not portion shy in Britain are they," Patrick said in amazement at his own portion size and dug in happily. Lisbon also began to eat but with more hesitancy. They talked sparsely while they ate their food. Mainly talking to comment on the food or the atmosphere, or even sometimes work. The pair of them soon felt extremely relaxed, leaning back in their wooden wheel back chairs Patrick patted the front of his waistcoat obviously pleased with the meal he had just consumed.

"Ready to go now Jane, since you seen to have eaten as much as an elephant." Lisbon said, she had been surprised how much food he had managed to put away. When he had finished his own massive portion he had started to steal food from her own plate. Then when she was full he ate what she hadn't.

"Yeah, let me just visit the men's room. Be right back." Jane replied. Dropping his serviette to the table and getting up and making his way across the pub.

Lisbon waited for his certain return almost kind of anxious to see him again. His absence seemed to affect her strangely. She felt that when he had left a part of her left too. She knew he had only gone to the toilet but still. She didn't like being parted from him. Patrick always brought out the best in her, the more fun loving, flirty side of her. Footsteps behind her alerted her to Jane's return. She turned around in her chair, keen to see his adorable face once again just in time to see said face flying through the air. Patrick landed with a heavy thud to the floor, a crunch signalled the breaking of something and he felt a rush of liquid spill from his nose. Damm, broken nose, well wasn't this just great.

"Jane!" Lisbon's panicked voiced reached him across the room. It wasn't long before he could feel her arm on his, dragging him up gently. "Jane, are you okay. Jeez look at all the blood. Here." She handed him a serviette.

"Owww. Damm it" Jane cursed, he took the serviette and held it to his nose wincing slightly. Yep most defiantly broken it.

"Jane, what happened, I looked round and you just fell."

"Dammed uneven floors, must be everywhere in England. I bet they know about this. They properly step over them. Ouch."

No body else in the place seemed to notice the fact that a person had just fallen to the floor rather painfully. But then again the only people in the pub were Jane, Lisbon and the waiter and probably a cook, but they all seemed to be out the back. Lisbon lead Jane out of the pub and back to his car. His vision seemed to have been slightly impaired by the fall and she had to lead him around all the obstacles that presented themselves. She eventually opened the door and sat Jane down in the passenger seat.

"Hey," Patrick complained. "My car, I drive."

"Not in that state you don't" Lisbon said defiantly, climbing into the drivers seat and settling herself down. "I am taking you to the nearest hospital to get you checked out."

"Oh now, Lisbon please don't" he kept moaning "You know how I hate doctors."

"Shut up Jane." Lisbon said as she started to car. But her tone was different now. Not harsh or ordering, softer more caring. It wasn't long before they rolled out of the car park and started for the nearest hospital, Jane drifted into silent uneven and plagued sleep.

**Reviewsies for me pwease? Will love you for ever if you do. **


	4. Hospital

**Love is sent out to those people that reviewed my third chapter, I loved reading them. Just so you know updates might take a while at the moment, right in the middle of important exams that basically effect the rest of my life so yeah. Hope you enjoy this chapter Love Oakland xxx**

_**Chapter 4**_

"Where are Jane and Lisbon, its been over 2 hours now?" Van Pelt said, worried for her boss and co-worker.

"No idea, maybe you should call them and find out." Cho said not looking up from his book.

After finishing all the paperwork that they could find the team comprising of Rigsby, Cho and Van Pelt had set about amusing themselves until the boss arrived back. Cho was reading, as per usual, Van Pelt and Rigsby were messaging each other, the result of which was a rose flush creeping up Grace's face and a hungry, longing look in Wayne's eyes. After one particular message Van Pelt coughed, in shock and to cover up her laughter and embarrassment. She looked over at Rigsby, a slightly shocked expression on her face, Rigsby only raised his eyebrows suggestively in response.

"I wish you two would stop doing that" Cho stated from behind his book, still not looking up.

"Doing what?" Rigsby said innocently, looking round at his friend.

"Sending each other suggestive messages at work," Cho looked up, his face void of any expression.

"How do you know that's what we're doing?"

"Because Van Pelt looks very embarrassed," Cho said, jerking his book in Grace's direction, "and you look like you always look when you are imagining Van Pelt tied to your…"

"Okay," Van Pelt interrupted, "That's enough now, I'm going to ring the boss."

**O.o.O**

Patrick was sat on the edge of a clean hospital bed in the A&E section of St. Luke's hospital just outside of Sacramento. The nurse had confirmed the break and had easily applied bandages to the break. Patrick had moaned all the way through, saying he didn't need to be here. Apparently he could have handled it all himself, but Lisbon was determined that he wasn't going to be left with a wonky nose, because she knew if Patrick handled it he wouldn't tape it and therefore it would mend in a strange shape.

"Can we please go now Lisbon?" Patrick moaned again, he had been asking the same question over and over again for the past 10 minuets.

"No Jane, we have to wait for the doctor to discharge you, And since he's very busy right now you'll just have to wait." Lisbon said, she was getting fed up with his moaning now, if he didn't shut up she was going to hit him. Just then her phone buzzed in her pocket. She picked it out and looked at the caller ID. "Hey Van Pelt… Yeah sorry, we're in the hospital. Jane broke his nose falling over…. Yeah… I know… Okay see you then." Lisbon laughed at the amusement of her youngest team member and repocketed the phone.

"Lisbon, please get me out of here." Jane started again, "I don't think I can bare another moment of this horrible smell."

"Mr Jane?" An enquiring voiced asked. Lisbon Looked round, it was the doctor. "Urm, you're free to go when you wish. All I suggest is that you don't fall over anytime soon, okay?"

"Oh thank you doctor, thank you soo much" Jane replied happily, jumping off the bed and ringing the surprised doctor's hands. "Come on Lisbon. I'm Free!" He then proceeded to skip merrily from the hospital, heading for the parking lot.

"I'm sorry about him." Lisbon apologised to the doctor. "He's a terrible patient and needs some serious help in the mental department." She shook his hand formally and walked after Jane.

Jane was waiting for her by his car, he checked his pockets attempting, in vain, to find his car keys. He tried all the pockets he could think of then had the sudden brainwave. Lisbon had his keys from when she had driven him to the hospital. He was going to have to get his keys back, there was no way that he was going to survive all the way back to the CBI at the speed limit. Patrick looked around the parking lot, looking for the location of his keys, finding nothing he leaned back aimlessly against his car, looking vaguely in the direction of the hospital doors. They soon opened and Lisbon walked out. The golden mid-day sun was shining brightly above them. Teresa's black hair caught the light beautifully and shined and shimmered like a velvet sheet. He delicate features thrown into gentle shadows as her hair crossed across her face. Patrick had to remember how to close his mouth for a moment, his mind had just been through some mentally tiring stuff. I mean yeah he had thought about Lisbon loads of time before. But nothing quite like this, the thought that he could be happy again, but just with another person. And that person was Teresa Lisbon.

"Right ready to go?" she asked him as she approached, taking long purposeful strides.

"Yep. Keys please." He asked holding out his hand.

"No, there is no guarantee that you're not going to randomly pass out at the wheel. I'm driving again."

"Liiiisbon" he moaned again.

"No Jane." Lisbon tried to push him gently out of the way so she could get into the driver's seat pf his car. But hew wouldn't move. "Jane, move. We need to get back to the CBI and continue the case."

"I will move." Patrick said. "But only when you give me back my keys."

"No. Now move before I _make _you move." She said, hands on hips.

Patrick saw the goal, his keys, in Lisbon's right hand. He lunged and missed. Lisbon stepped easily around him and turned to watch, her back to the care. Jane brought himself easily back around and faced Lisbon, goal still clearly in sight. He walked forward, all thought of the keys wiped clean from his brain, there was another goal it had in mind right now. He stepped closer, keeping his breathing slow and even despite that fact that he felt as though he was about to go into cardiac arrest. Coming to a stop inches from Lisbon, he could now feel her warm breath penetrating through his clothes, smell her perfume, almost sense her heart speeding up. He reached out his hands and placed one either side of Lisbon's waist against the car.

"Jane?" Lisbon asked, definitely suspicious now. She leaned her head up, attempting to look him in the eyes and stare him down, the only view she had however was of his chin.

"Hmm?" He responded, tilting his head down. His eyes made contact with hers and soon he was pinning away in a torrent of thoughts. Not many of them coherent enough to warrant saying. Those stunning green orbs of hers always did this to him, he couldn't explain why, but he liked it.

"What are you doing?"

"Reading your mind." Patrick answered simply.

"No, your not. Jane please don't. Stop it." She playfully hit him in the chest, trying to break him eye contact with her.

"Only telling the truth Lisbon. You said I was untrustworthy, I am now proving you can trust me. So by telling the truth you will easily learn to trust me, for you will have no reasons not too." He grinned brightly.

"I have a feeling I am going to regret this later," Lisbon said, handing the keys back over to Jane.

"Yay!" Patrick celebrated merrily.

"Now promise me," Lisbon said, grabbing his arm cautiously, "You will tell me if you feel faint so I can take over won't you?"

"My dear Lisbon," he said, lightly cover her delicate hand, that was on his arm, with his own, "of course I will. I feel touched actually, you care about me enough to worry about me, genuinely worry."

"No, I just don't want to end up in a hospital because you crashed the car." She removed her hand from his arm-hand sandwich and got into the passenger door.

Grinning triumphantly Jane swung the keys easily round his finger as he clambered into the driver's seat. Slotting the keys into the ignition and staring the car with a simple twist.

"Please at least _try _and stick to the speed limit for a change Jane." Lisbon requested, knowing too well what he was like.

"Maybe…" He grinned brightly and swung the car out and away from the hospital, heading for the CBI… and his couch. They had some serious quality time to catch up on.

**O.o.O**

"They still not here yet?" Rigsby asked the room at large. Briefly looking up from his continuing messaging with Van Pelt.

"Well I haven't heard Lisbon shouting yet, so either that means they're not here or, for a change, Jane hasn't pissed her off." Van Pelt easily responded, looking round at Rigsby and Cho. "Cho? What do you think?"

"I really don't' care," was Cho's expressionless answer, "either they're here or they're not. When they're not we don't have to work, so let's just enjoy this while we can."

"JANE!" Lisbon's loud voice drifted down the corridor towards the team.

"Speak of the devil and she will appear." Rigsby muttered under his breath.

"But Liiisbon, its hurts, I can't concentrate. Please let me go." Jane's pleading voice came down the corridor, slowly getting closer.

"No, you'll go home and do nothing we need you here. Now get your arse in that room with the team before I kick it there." Lisbon walked in, pushing Jane in front of her with her hands.

"But, but, but…" Jane started again.

"Oh for goodness sake, go over there and shut up." Lisbon shoved him towards his couch and turned her back on him and addressed the team. "So what have you got?"

"Well there wasn't really anything to go on." Van Pelt said, typing quickly on her computer, "we just finished some old paperwork today, sorry boss."

"No that's fine Grace thank you. I didn't really give you any feedback anyway, so no worries."

"What do you want us to do now though boss?" Rigsby asked, obviously getting bored with just being here, he either wanted to be working or back at his apartment with Van Pelt.

"Well, when we talked to Sandra Travis she said something about a brother to Michael, search for him. Look in all mental asylums you can think of and all institutions and prison too." Lisbon rattled off her team's job list and started out of the room. "Anyone need me and I'll be in my office." She called back as she left the room.

Patrick relaxed into the soft fabric of the couch, thinking of all that had happened that day. Of finding the lead, of taking Lisbon for a meal, breaking his nose, although that's wasn't a good point, and being _that _close to Lisbon. His mind drifted away into sleep, quietly making plans, or it would be better described as plotting, for the next few weeks.

**Go on, you know you want to review, that's it just click the link. Yes look into my eyes, cliiiccckkk tthhheee lliiinnkk. :P**


	5. Gone Cold

_**Chapter 5**_

A few weeks past without much drama. Jane behaved himself for a change, so maybe that was a dramatic change. Lisbon felt her stress levels decrease rapidly, purely because she didn't have to continually monitor Jane and his behaviour. Of course there cases to work but they were mostly open and shut. Things like fraud, stealing, and the odd death threat., but no actually murders. Well that was until a gloriously sunny Monday morning…

The phone rang shrill and piercing though the bull pen. Damn would Lisbon please answer that phone soon otherwise it was going to drive them all mad. Why wasn't she here? That same question had puzzled the team for the past hour, it was unlike their boss to be late for anything, especially work. Their question was answered moments later, Lisbon came rushing into the office b-lining for her own room, a tissue clamped in one hand. They heard the phone mercifully stop and all returned to their work. Things were once again back to normal.

Jane settled back down into the comfortable depths of the sofa, all was now quiet once more. Although things seemed a little too quiet in Lisbon's office, this seemed to unsettle him slightly. Normally after a call Lisbon would come into the bull pen and announce the case details, then they would be off in the cars to various destinations to unravel the mysteries of each case. Patrick eventually gave in, levering himself up from the couch he headed over to the office door and listened carefully. No sounded issued from the office, so quietly he pushed the door open.

Lisbon was slouched over her desk, head in her hands, she looked like she could possibly be crying. But Lisbon would never cry, would she? Jane leaned forward towards her carefully and prodded her shoulder. Teresa stirred herself and looked up into Jane's brilliant green eyes. Times like this and she really needed a hug from her favourite consultant.

"Lisbon? You alright what's happened?" Jane asked worriedly, when Teresa was worried it was usually something bad.

"Oh nothing just the fact that our only lead on Red John has suddenly vanished." Lisbon said, raising her arms out of shear frustration.

"What do you mean?"

"Well listen to this." Lisbon pressed to play button on her phone and the previous call replayed itself.

"_Hello this is Chief Noodle, you know that lead on the Red John case that your following lead you to Sandra Travis, well you guys are gunna want to check this out. Come back to the house as quickly as you can. Sandra and her husband have been murdered." _There was a long pause, but Patrick knew the message hadn't finished yet. _"... By red John" _The call ended.


	6. Shocks and Ideas

_**Hey everyone, yeah sorry about it being ages again. Pressures of A-level work are getting to me, also had a couple of other things on my mind. Anyway hope you enjoy this chapter even though its really short, and please don't forget to review, i just love reading them, they make me feel appreciated 33**_

**Chapter 6**

"That… That just can't be…" Lisbon said shakily, shock still pulsing through her system. "Jane… I am.. I'm just…"

"I know, your sorry," Jane replied dejectedly, it was always like this, as soon as they got close enough to get a new lead, the trail went cold again.

"Well, we better notify the rest of the team," Lisbon said bracingly, leaving Jane to himself, she knew he needed a little time and space right now to think.

Jane stood in the now silent Lisbon's office, thinking carefully. All his hopes of catching his arch nemesis and the man that ruined his life, where now gone. Shattered, deleted, not going to happen. He sank slowly down onto the sofa in Lisbon's office, the soft cushions gave gently and he reclined, stretching his feet out, resting them on the armrest. He massaged his temples with his fingers, as though trying to work out the poor tortured organ, and relieve the pain it was now causing him.

"You now…" cam a soft voice from the doorway, "there are drugs for headaches."

"Sorry Lisbon," Jane murmured, eyes closed against the pain, "but I don't agree with taking drugs for little things like this."

"Well fine then, you suffer. But come one we're off, get up and in the car"

"Where?"

"The Travis', they were murdered, we need to do our jobs, investigate and find the person responsible and put them in jail."

"I know who's responsible Lisbon, Red John! And like hell we're going to be able to find him. Knowing him he's probably half way across the country by now!" Jane released angrily, sitting up, hand exasperatedly waving.

"Jane please," Lisbon said, she knew why he was angry, she would be too, "you've always told me that he wants to watch you suffer, he won't have left. He'll be watching, waiting to see you in pain because you lost him again."

"Your right Lisbon, but you've just given me inspiration." He said looking into Lisbon's eyes looking hopeful.

"What's that then?"

"If Red John does always want to see me suffer then I know what will really peeve him off, with an added plus for me." Jane's smile brighten, his eyes twinkling.

Lisbon just gave him a questioning look, he hand on her hips, waiting for him to do his usual Jane thing and suddenly spring into action. And then she'd have to trail after him, constantly trying to find out what his brain wave had been about.

"If I'm happy again!" Jane jumped up and half ran half skipped out of the room.


	7. Findings and Thoughts

**Hey, yeah finally another chapter. Sorry started this ages ago but never had the will or bother to finish it until now. Hope you enjoy it. Reviews are much loved. And a special thank you to Jisbon4ever and Celtic-Dreamscape-94 being the only two people to review my last chapter.**

**Chapter 7 **

"Jane, will you please tell me your plan," Lisbon asked for the 10th time that journey.

"Nope," Jane announced boyishly, "that would be telling."

"Exactly! I want you to tell me!" Lisbon faced forward rigidly at the road, she kept her hands on the wheel to prevent herself from hitting something.

"Secret" Jane tapped hi nose and turned away, looking out of the window and watched the world flash by.

They drove the rest of the way in silence. Jane happily smiling to himself, secretly panning his plot in his head. Lisbon focusing on driving while her mind tried to work out what Jane was up to. Van Pelt, Rigsby and Cho followed in the next car.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the Travis' place. The outside was still meticulously neat and untouched. But they all knew that inside would be a different story. They met the chief at the front door, to get the first impressions from him.

"I warn you," the Chief said opening the door for them, "its not quite like any of the other Red John murders I've hear about."

"Oh, how so?" Jane asked interestedly.

"Well take a look for yourself, their in there." The Chief pointed into the lounge of the Travis' house and moved to let the CBI team through.

"Rigsby, take the Chief's statement please." Lisbon ordered over her shoulder as she stared at the scene before her.

"Yes boss," Rigsby didn't bother to try and argue with her, this was a stressful time for all of them, and he knew the job needed to be done as quickly, accurately and efficiently as possible.

Jane stared at the living room in front of him. It was plainly furnished, with a few choice paintings and sculptures. A vase of flowers sat on the coffee table, still fresh and blooming, there were also a couple of photos on the mantle piece, Jane would check these out later. The typical Red John smiley was drawn on the wall facing the door, smiling down on the bodies on Sandra and her husband, quite clearly dead. But the police chief was right, this wasn't normal Red John style, yet defiantly his work. Instead of being totally slashed up, the bodies only had one slash each, clean and right through the throat, clearly done from behind them. It was almost as if Red John had taken pity on having to kill these particular people. Now he knew what the situation with bodies was Jane started his usual poke around the room for any other evidence. That's when he noticed a missing photo from the mantle piece. He ran his hand through the space it had once occupied. Thinking carefully, Red John had obviously wanted this a memento of this murder or maybe a reminder of the people he had killed, either way he had it, Jane just knew.

"What's that matter Jane," Lisbon asked looking over at him from across the room.

"There was a photo frame here, but its gone. Red John has taken it, I think to remind him of these people. This defiantly means that they meant something special to him."

"It's a shame that we'll never know what the photo was of thought." Lisbon said disappointedly.

"Yeah," Jane said, turning to her, but suddenly a sudden thought flashed across his brain. "I don't know about you Lisbon, but I always got negatives of photos, in case I lost them or wanted more copies."

"So all we need to do is find the negatives!" Lisbon said excitedly.

"Indeed my dear. Quick then! Tally-ho!" Jane pointed out of the room, and shoot off. Lisbon would never get tired of his amusing boyish antics.

They both riffled trough draws and cupboards looking for negatives. When Lisbon suddenly cried out.

"I've got it!"

"Really?" Jane shouted from another room.

"No Jane, I've found the door to Narnia, of course I've found the negative."

Jane came running from another room and practically screeched to a halt just behind Lisbon and leaned over her shoulder looking at the negative as Teresa held it up to the window.

"Well technically it could be any of these, but I thought this was the most promising, but I'll get them all processed so we can have a look at all the possibilities back at the CBI."

"Good going Lisbon. Although I am quite disappointed in you." Jane said.

"Why?" Lisbon asked, wondering what she had done.

Jane leaned closer to her ear, and spoke very quietly, "You lied to me about finding Narnia."

Lisbon's mind was spinning he was standing close, a lot closer than normal, being all seductive and flirty, and yet somehow he managed to work in the whole aspect of finding the door to a magical kingdom without even make her laugh at his childishness of believing in Narnia. But then a shout from Cho suddenly stopped her mind and brought it back to earth with a crash.

"Lisbon, Jane, your gunna want to take a look at this!"


	8. The Lair

**Thnk you so much to Jisbon4Ever and Freyagal being the only people to review my last chapter. You get special telepathic cookies and ninja protection from evil internet stealing Narnians. Anyways here is the next chapter sorry its been a while, writers block.**

**Chapter 8**

Cho lead them through the house before they came to an inconspicuous looking door. I looked like the type of door that would lead to an airing cupboard, but when they opened it Jane and Lisbon were in for a shock. A small gasp fell from Teresa's lips as Cho swung the door open. Instead of shelves holding fluffy towels and bed linen, there was a set of concrete steps, leading down into a dark abyss. Cho flicked a switch just inside the door and a light came on far below, lighting the steps slightly. Lisbon lead the way, studying the room intently as she descended, closely followed by Jane, almost a little too close, but she knew he was only trying to be protective.

The room materialised slowly before them as they continued down the stairs. To begin with it looked like a normal basement, items that weren't needed in the house, or were broken an awaited repair were piled up in corners. A washing machine and tumble dryer sat against a wall, washing still in them, never to be needed again. But there was something off about it, Lisbon looked round trying to find the source of her niggling feeling. She found it in a corner, hidden beneath the stairs, a small steel bolted door.

Lisbon walked slowly towards it, reaching out her hand, waiting for her flesh to come into contact with the cold metal. As it did she pushed, trying the door. It swung open, creaking slightly as it did. A blackness was behind it, no light switch could be found nearby.

"Anyone have a torch?" Lisbon asked trying to peer into the room, trying to get a glance of what waited beyond.

"Here I think I have one." Jane said, he started patting his various pockets. "Hang on, got to find it first, you never know which one of these pockets it might be in."

"Really Jane, maybe you should just have fewer pockets, it would make things easier to find." Lisbon said, as though this was the most normal thing to have a conversation about while they were about to invade the lair of an evil serial killer.

"Pockets are very useful me dear Lisbon, ah there's the little devil." He produced a small pocket torch from a inside pocket of his waistcoat.

Shaking her head slightly, Lisbon took the torch, trying not to notice how it was still warm from his body heat and where it had been inside his waistcoat. She turned it on and shone it deep into the dark lair. A deeply disturbing image appeared before the 2 CBI agents and the consultant. Around the wall were smilelys, painted on every surface possible. In other places there were pictures tacked to the walls, pictures of the victims, mementos of a serial killer. Jane walked in, observing everything. He studies the pictures, putting the names to the faces as he went, but he soon came to a stop, shock enveloped all his senses. There they were, his wonderful wife and child, brutally murdered, just as he had found then, fear and pain still written in their eyes.

The stabbing feeling of pain found his heart again, and stabbed over and over again. Wounding him, torturing him. Not only had he killed them, and violated them in every way humanly possible, he had taken pictures of them, only a sick tormented mind could do something like this. His hand reached out, not thinking towards the images, but a soft female hand stopped his.

"No Jane, this needs to be left to forensics." Lisbon spoke softly. She knew how he must feel, to be reminded all over again. Jane nodded and turned away, trying to hide the tears not falling quietly down his face.

He walked out of the room and straight up the stairs, he paused in the house, looking round. Lisbon came up behind him and touched his elbow slightly.

"Jane, you okay?" she sounded concerned, well of course she was.

"Ah,hum, yeah." Jane coughed slightly trying to remove the painful feeling in his throat.

There was no one around, all the forensics had gone down to the dungeon and Cho was busy instructing them, the rest of the team were taking statements. Lisbon looked nervously into Jane's eyes, then pulled him into a comforting, if slightly awkward hug. He burrowed his nose into hair, looking for comfort, he put his arms loosely around her and hugged her back. Lisbon patted him soothingly and waited for him to stop shaking, you wouldn't have noticed the shakes before, but now that their bodies were touching she did notice a slight quiver to his body. Eventually they broke apart, Jane whipped his eyes on his sleeve and sniffed very quietly.

"Thank you Lisbon, I'm sorry about that, its just its still hard you know. Seeing that, like the day I found them." Jane voice started to quiver again.

"Shh Jane, its okay, I understand." She rubbed his arm gently.

"Urh Lisbon?" Jane asked tentatively, "Can I ask you a favour?"

"Anything Jane."

"Can I stay at your tonight, I don't want to go back to that house, not tonight." His voice became quieter, "not tonight" it was barely a whisper.

"Of course Jane, I understand. Now come on, time to get back to the CBI, I'll just get some paperwork done then I can take you back to mine."

"Thank you so much Lisbon."

"That's all right Jane, now come on, back to the car." Lisbon put out her arm, gently touching his, guiding him gently out of the house and into the car. She got in next to him, started the engine and pulled away, heading back to headquarters.

**Reviews? Maybe? They keep me writing you know? It makes me unhappy to have no reviews.**


	9. Dinner and Wine

**Thank you people for reviewing my last chapter I love you all, Now please sit back and enjoy this one. And remember to review at the end :D**

**Chapter 9**

Lisbon pulled up and parked in her usual parking space outside her apartment. Unbuckling her seatbelt and leaning into the back if the truck and picking up her rucksack. Next to her Jane picked up the shopping bags that were sitting by his feet, opening the door and swinging out. Of course it hadn't been long before Jane was back to his normal self, although Lisbon knew he was hurting on the inside, but as always he was covering it up.

"Its a good job you suggested stopping by the supermarket on the way home, I don't really have any proper food." Lisbon said as she locked the truck and led the way to her apartment, with Jane trailing behind.

"I had a feeling you wouldn't have much food, and the least I could do was cook you dinner in return for letting me stay." He said.

They walked up a couple of flights of stairs, Jane moaning that they could have taken the elevator, but Lisbon pointing out that exercise was good for you. They eventually reached the right floor, walking down the corridor a bit, but then eventually they came to right apartment. Slipping her key into the lock and turning it Lisbon granted them access to her home. Stepping through the door she kicked off her shoes pushing them with her feet underneath the table near the door that she used to put her keys and mail on. Behind her Jane did the same, not wanting to disrupt her routine too much.

"Kitchen is just through there," Teresa said pointing through a door way, "I'm just going to go and slip into something more comfortable."

"Righto," Patrick said, striding casually through the respective doorway. Inside he found a neatly organised and clean kitchen with white counter tops and pine cabinets. It obviously wasn't used all too often, as there wasn't food to greet him when he opened the fridge to have a poke round. But there was a good assortment of take-away menus on the counter top. He flicked through them interestedly, Chinese, Indian, Tai, Pizza, Kebab, Fish and Chips, lots of different options and none of them that healthy. For a woman telling him that it was healthy to exercise and seemed rather health conscious she didn't eat very healthily.

"Are you going to cook anything, or just keep invading my privacy?" Lisbon was standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame, dressed in a baggy t-shit and tracksuit bottoms.

"Invading your privacy is part of the package is you have me to stay" He grinned proudly and placed the bags on the counter top and began to unpack them.

"Well just remember I will shoot you if you annoy me," Lisbon threatened, even though there was no real threat to it at all, she could never shoot him, especially not after today.

"Well if you do that my dear," Jane answered back completely calmly, "you won't ever get any dinner."

"Mmmm, true, no what do you want me to do?" Lisbon said as she unpacked another one of the bags.

"Well, I think you can sit back and relax, I can manage. I promise I won't make a mess of your lovely neat kitchen, and I promise not to plot anything."

"But Jane, you're the guest, I could hardly just leave you, its not polite"

"Go," Jane said pushing her slightly in the direction of the door to the living space, his hand applying light pressure to the small of her back.

"Okay I'm going I get it. Call me if you need any help." Lisbon walked out of the kitchen to leave her consultant to it. Hopefully he won't explode anything. Her mind was reeling, that touch, it was like searing fire on her back. Why did he have to do this to her? Why did she have to start thinking like this? "Stop it, stop it" She mentally said to herself.

Patrick happily pottered about the kitchen throwing ingredients together, slowly coming together to make a lovely meal for the woman that was always there for him. The recipe he was making was one of his favourites, Salmon tagliatelle, with Caesar salad. It didn't take long to make, and soon the smell of food was filling the apartment. He laid the small table in the kitchen ready to put the plates on; he warmed them briefly in the oven so they wouldn't be too cold to put the food on. He scooped the pasta into a bowl, along with its source and put it on the table, next to the salad. He was just about to call out to Lisbon that dinner was ready when he had a better idea, he could walk out of the kitchen and look for her, maybe he could sneak up behind her and surprise her.

He walked out of the kitchen and saw Lisbon very quickly. She was sat on one of the comfy chairs in the sitting area, legs curled up underneath her, completely engrossed in book. Jane got right up behind her and she still hadn't noticed him there, it must be one interesting book for her not to notice him being this close to her, normally she would scamper away as quickly as she could when he was this close.

He cleared hi throat before starting to talk. "Uh, dinner is served my dear."

Lisbon jumped and slammed her book shut very quickly. Hiding the cover from him, either on purpose or by accident, he didn't know.

"Oh yeah, thanks." Lisbon followed Jane into her own kitchen and sat down at the table, opposite him.

"You cook this all by yourself?" Teresa asked, letting Jane put food onto her plate.

"Of course, I am slightly offended that you doubt my abilities."

"Oh no, not in the slightest, just checking to make sure that if I get sick of food poisoning I know who to blame."

"Well that's charming isn't it," Jane said, but he couldn't help but laugh a little, she always knew how to make him laugh.

Lisbon suddenly remembered something, she got up from the table and went over to the fridge. Opening it she picked out a bottle and headed back to the table, grabbing a bottle opener as she did so.

"I believe white is customary with fish?" Lisbon said as she placed two glasses on the table.

"It is indeed my dear, shall I do the honors or do you want to?" Jane asked.

"You can," Lisbon said, handing him the bottle opener.

Their hands brushed briefly, Jane couldn't help but notice the blush creeping up Lisbon's face, he smiled slightly, and he found it adorable. He wanted to reach out and feel the warmth in her skin, but he knew that she would find that too forward of him. "Maybe later though, not too long though," he thought to himself.

He poured the wine expertly and they toasted briefly, not to anything in particular, they just chinked their glasses together, but Jane secretly toasted to the future, to their future. He knew it was going to happen, at least in that respect he could be a true mentalist, even if she didn't. Lisbon also secretly toasted, but this time to Jane's happiness, he was such a lovely man, but had seen and felt so much suffering, she wanted to help him, but she didn't know how. Little did she know that she might be his salvation.

They finished the meal, Lisbon thanking Jane for it, telling him not to bother with the washing up, they could do it in the morning. She walked back through to the living room and picked up her book again.

"You can put the TV on if you want Jane," she said, offering him the remote.

"Thanks, want to watch anything in particular?" he said, taking the offered object and settling on the sofa on the end nearest Lisbon.

"No, don't think so." She carried on reading her book.

"What ya reading?" Jane asked trying to lean over and see.

"Does it really matter?" Lisbon said, holding the book just out of his range of reach and sight.

"No, not really, but I'm just nosey, indulge me for just a moment."

She showed him the book, watching his expression carefully as he read the front cover.

"Pride and Prejudice? Really Lisbon? I don't get what you see in it"

"Its romantic, and it make me laugh"

"Never put you as a hopeless romantic Lisbon." Jane said, "and how does it make you laugh, do enlighten me."

"Well I think its amusing that Elizabeth can insult Mr Darcy all the time and he can insult her and yet they end up getting married. I mean she does come out with some great insults."

"Hmm, well I spose I see where you're coming from." Anyway, I think I will hit the sack." Jane snuggled down into Lisbon's sofa, it was surprisingly comfortable. Although nowhere near as comfortable as his CBI couch.

"Okay, you sure you want to sleep there Jane, you could have my bed, I'll sleep on the couch if you want."

"No its fine," Jane relpied.

"Okay night Jane," Lisbon said as she walked out of the room and switched off the lights.


	10. Blankets and Bad Dreams

**Chapter 10**

Lisbon walked out of her bedroom, dressed and ready for bed. She wore her long football shirt. She knew Jane would probably comment, but she wasn't going to change her habits just because he was here. Thinking of Jane suddenly made her remember something. How could she have forgotten? She went to her wardrobe and felt around on the top shelves. She pulled down a light blue fleecy blanket and a small travel pillow. Taking them in her arms she walked back out into her living room, getting to where Jane was sleeping on the sofa. He looked peaceful enough, his breathing was slow and heavy. It was good for him that he was actually sleeping for a change.

"Jane?" she spoke quietly, not wanting to wake him. When she had no reply she took the blanket and laid it carefully and gently over him, making sure it covered all of his body. Now for the pillow, Lisbon used her hand to carefully lift his head, not too much, just enough to slip the pillow under. If he had to sleep on the couch then he may as well be as comfortable as possible. Without thinking she let her fingers run through his hair, it was so soft. She loved the way it curled at the ends and its lovely sun browned blonde colour.

Jane took a deep breath; the sound of it brought her to her senses. What was she doing? Playing with her consultant's hair? Oh God, now he was _her_ consultant? No, he was the team's consultant, shy did she let herself do this to her, begin dreaming of what could be? Taking a deep breath herself, she sighed and walked back to her bedroom, closing the door softly behind her.

Patrick cautiously opened one eye, looking for Lisbon. She wasn't there. He ran his hands through his hair. He knew by the way she had felt his hair and the way she had lingered she was hiding feelings from him. He knew exactly what kind of feelings too, the snugly, fluffy kind of feelings. She must have believed him to be fast asleep otherwise he knew she never would have done such a thing.

When he had breathed in while she was standing next to him he was filled with her scent. She had smelt do delicately and beautifully of cinnamon, a scent that he could only describe as Teresa Lisbon.

Patrick smiled happily, she had believed him to be asleep. She had let her guard down slightly. It was a good thing to see, a different side of Lisbon, one he hoped to see much more often. A side of Lisbon that wasn't just about the job and getting the work done, a Lisbon who enjoyed walks in the park and a romantic meal out with a special and certain someone. He slowly drifted back off into sleep, normally he wouldn't have been able to, but this time his thoughts were calmed and filled with images of Teresa, his beautiful boss.

He was walking up those stairs again, those stairs that lead to terror and incredible pain, both emotional and physical. One step at a time he climbed them, on each step the feeling of dread growing and growing until he felt as though he was going to burst. The house made no sounds around him, not even a rattle from the heating pipes nor a hum from the fridge. The air around him was still but hung heavy, almost as thick as soup. He was struggling to breathe, the air caught in his throat almost choking him. He eventually reached the landing, at the end lay the nightmare, the same thoughts that always plagued him, sometimes even in his waking moments. The image that was always in the back of his mind preventing him from carrying on with his life.

He walked down the landing hallway, not paying any attention to the pictures on the walls as he went. The pictures that showed him in the career he had left, the career of constant lying and faking. All the people in the pictures looked happy, smiling gleefully, looking pleased with the work he had done for them. He was no better than his father, tricking people out of their money, faking a connection with the afterlife to con people just to make them happy. As he past each image the dread kept growing, it was going to spill over at any moment. It was then when he noticed that note on his bedroom door, the bedroom he shared with his wife. That note, he knew what it said and he knew what was beyond, yet he couldn't stop. Some unknown force was pulling him forwards through this nightmare like it did almost every night that he managed to sleep.

He opened the door and there she lay, his wife beneath the haunting smiley. Dead, blood covered the sheets, her body and her nails, all covered in her own blood. A chilling laugh ran through the room and the whole world before him swirled and merged into a different scene.

He was walking along the corridor to Lisbon's apartment, carrying a bunch of flowers to surprise here with Today was a happy day for them, it was the anniversary of their first date, and he had decided to surprise her by going to her apartment and cooking them a gorgeous meal. He knocked on the door, but as he did it swung open slightly. Lisbon never left her door unlocked, he cautiously walked in, looking all around him as he did. There was something wrong he could feel it. The hairs were standing up on the back of neck and his arms. Lisbon was nowhere to be found, he called out for her but she didn't come. Eventually he thought she might be in her room for some reason, so he walked towards it, as he reached it he noticed there was a note pinned to the door. It read:

_Mr Patrick, _

_ You still mock me, I don't think you deserve happiness. So I have taken from what you don't deserve. _

_ Many happy returns,_

_ RJ_

Cold chills ran over him, sweat started to bead at his forehead. He knew what he was going to find when he opened the door. He didn't want to but he felt his hand reaching for the handle of the door. He turned it slowly pushing the door open slowly, it creaked on its hinges and swung open. The smiley, written in blood , smiled down at him from above her bed, mocking him.

He was about to look down, to see her body lying there dead and blood covered beneath that face. He looked, he opened his mouth to scream.

Patrick jerked awake, he wasn't sweaty but he felt cold and chilled all over, as though a bucket of cold ice had just been dumped over him. He was shaking, tears falling from his eyes. He was viewing the world through a shimmering screen of tears. He was still half asleep, what he need right now was comfort and knew one place where he could get it. He knew she probably wouldn't like it and would probably fuss but he really didn't care right know. He just needed to be held.

He rolled out from under the blanket the Lisbon had placed so lovingly on him and got up and off the couch. Standing up after quite a long time gave him a head rush. He staggered quietly over to Lisbon's room, he saw light under the door and knew she wasn't asleep yet. He pushed the door opened gently and walked in, dragging his feet as he did so. Eyes still half closed with sleep.

"Jane?" Lisbon said quietly, putting down her book. "What's the matter?"

"Nightmare," he mumbled, crawling onto her bed and wriggling so that his head was level with hers.

"You want to talk about it?" Lisbon offered. She was going to comment about the fact that she didn't really want him in her bed, not like this and right now anyway. But she knew he suffered from these nightmares a lot and she knew you always felt terrible after having one.

Jane shock his head and buried his face into the pillow on the spare side of the bed, whipping away the fresh tears that had prickled in the corners of his eyes. He looked up at her, barely able to believe that this was a dream and high nightmare had been real. She was alive, and still there with him and not pushing him away as she normally would.

"Jane," Lisbon said quietly opening her arms slightly, "come here."

Patrick almost too willingly wriggled over and squirmed into her arms. He breathed in and the smell relaxed him, she was alive, this wasn't a dream, and if it was it was a damned good one. Lisbon wrapped her arms around him, it felt wrong in some ways, to be holding him this way, in her bedroom, on her bed, with her only wearing her long shirt. To many people this would look like and intimate moment between two lovers, but it was only a comforting embrace between friends. She rubbed soothing circled into his back, he was stone cold. Lisbon wondered what it had all been about, she thought his wife and daughter's murder must have featured somewhere, but was that all?

"Lisbon, I can't thank you enough for all that you have done for me." Jane said, his voice muffled against Lisbon's body. "There's something I need to tell you."

"Shh Jane, you're tired, just sleep now." Lisbon soothed, covering him with her duvet.

"No, I need to tell you...before...before I fall" Jane said, he tried to keep his eyes open but sleep won and he drifted into sleep, luckily a dreamless one.


	11. Next Morning

**Hey yeah I know ages, I am sorry. I have had soo much school work it is unbelievable, essays left right an centre. Well I hope you enjoy this. A massive thank goes out to my reviewers, you people keep me writing, I dedicate all my work you fabulous guys!**

**Chapter 11**

The next morning Patrick woke early, at first he was a little confused at his present position. He was lying on Lisbon's bed, with her curled up against his chest. Her head buried under his chin. He wondered how this had happened. Then he thought back to last night, and the terrible dream, but then Lisbon, oh dear sweet Lisbon had let him cuddle up in her bed, and comforted him. He sighed happily, slightly tightening his hold on her body. It felt so natural for her to be there, for them to be holding each other like this.

Lisbon was beginning to stir slightly, sighing and humming slightly. Thinking fast Jane closed his eyes, let his breathing become slower, faking sleep seemed like a good idea right now. He was hoping that by doing this he could get Lisbon to stay with him like this a little longer. Anything to keep her close to him.

Lisbon blinked her eyes open, once, twice, three times, no she wasn't dreaming. He really was still there. She honestly thought he would leave early that morning, either to go to the CBI or just to go back to the couch. Teresa could never have dreamed that he would still be here with her in her bed, and holding her in such a natural way, as though this is how things were always meant to be. She snuggles unconsciously closer to him, breathing in his scent and losing herself in the heat radiating from his body.

"Morning," Jane spoke, and as per usual that first vocalisation of the morning was always a little husky and dry.

"Arg!" Lisbon jumped, from being in Jane's arms she jumped right out of her skin and across the bed to the other side. "Jane don't do that."

"Do what?" Jane said, holding his arms in a what did I do gesture. "This?" He reached over and pulled Lisbon gently by the arms back into his embrace.

"Yes, among other things." Lisbon lied, faking an attempt to escape from his arms, but not really trying.

"I know you're lying Teresa," Patrick whispered into her ear, his warm breath ruffling her hair there slightly.

"How come?"

"Well for a start you're not_ really_ trying to push away from me, I know your stronger than that, and for another thing you didn't seem to have a problem with this last night, or this morning as I recall."

Lisbon just grumbled and him and he just chuckled in reply, she really was an amusing person at times. This time she really did push him away and rolled up and out of the bed, pulling her long shirt down as she did so, she wanted at least some dignity when Jane was around.

"Where you going? Don't you want to stay here with me, you know you want to." Jane wriggled his eyebrows suggestively at Lisbon and propped himself up on one elbow looking at her as she wondered around the room gathering articled of clothing.

"I am going to get a shower." Lisbon replied, ignoring the rest of his question.

"Have fun" Jane called after her as she closed the door, he heard the lock click across, this was probably for his benefit, no one liked to have their shower interrupted by an unexpected and unwelcome visitor.

Sighing at Lisbon's departure Jane rolled over and off the bed. He noticed he was still wearing his shirt and vest, even though by now they were very crinkled. He brushed them off slightly, in a vague attempt to push out some of the wrinkles, but to no avail. Walking out of the bedroom Jane made his way to the kitchen with the intention of making breakfast for his favourite CBI agent.

Lisbon loved the feel of the warm water cascading down her body, helping her unwind and loosen taught muscles. It gave her time to think, mostly about last night and Jane. He looked so lost and dishevelled when he has staggered into her room. Her mothering instinct had really come out then, as it often does when she around him. But she had other feelings too, feelings that meant she wanted to keep him there with her forever, she never wanted to leave his side. Lisbon had never thought she would fall in love, she has always suspected that her life would revolve around her work, maybe with the odd date now and then. But this was it, that feeling she never thought she would have.

She finished her shower and dried herself off with the towel she had left draped over the sink. After that she got dressed into her casual wear of a pair of baggy tracky bottoms and a black strappy top, she didn't give a damn of what Jane thought she looked like, she just wanted to be comfortable. She unlocked the door and walked back into her bedroom, throwing her football shirt on the bed, leaving it unmade, she never saw the point in making it, its not like anyone ever saw it.

She the hear the sizzling of cooking and the smell of bacon and other great ingredients to a proper breakfast as she made her way towards the kitchen. She, of course knew who the culprit was. Oh that man, he was so brilliant sometimes, although at others he was a total pain. Her min blurred and focused again on thoughts of having him around more often. She could wake up every morning in the circle of his arms and his warm embrace. He could cook her breakfast every morning, rather than her usual rushed bowl of cereal. A more domestic type of life, the kind that most normal people live in.

Lisbon leaned against the kitchen door frame, just watching as Jane slaved over her oven. A slight smile lifted the tips of her mouth.

"Well my dear, feeling fresher now are we?" Jane turned round and smiled at her, pan in hand, spatula in the other.

"Yes, much better thank you. You not going to have a shower? I can get you come towels if you like." Lisbon sounded a little awkward, but who wouldn't right now to honest?

"That would be great, but how about we eat breakfast first okay?"

"Good, it smells great by the way." Lisbon seated herself in front of one of the plates Jane had laid out on her small kitchen table.

"Thank you very much, how much do you want?" Jane put eggs, bacon and sausages onto her plate. After making sure she had want she wanted he piled the rest onto his own plate and took the seat opposite Lisbon.

"You know I never asked," Jane began, "How did you sleep last night, I hope I didn't disturb you."

"No you were fine, I was awake anyway."

"What were you doing at that late an hour Lisbon?" Jane asked knowing that when he went into her room in had at least been in the small hours of the morning.

"Reading." Lisbon answered simply. She couldn't exactly say 'worrying about you and feeling the need to check on you every half an hour to make sure you were still sleeping soundly.'

"Oh, that good a book then?" Jane looked up at her over his fork, a piece of bacon dangling from it casually.

"Yeah it's good, but I have read it quite a few times already, it's more of a way to try and get to sleep. But I got up to my favourite part."

"What book is that then?" Jane asked interestedly, heads tilted to one side slightly, almost like a loyal Labrador looking his owner.

"Does it really matter?" Lisbon sighed.

"Of course it does, I like finding these things out. Oh can I guess?" His face lit up at that last sentence.

"Alright then, but as long you help me with the clearing up, you made a lot of mess cooking breakfast this morning." Lisbon gathered the plates and put them next to the draining board. "You wash and I'll dry and put away, fair?"

"Perfectly my dear." Jane practically skipped over to the washing up bowl and ran some warm water into it, adding liquid to make some bubbles. He sent a mischievous glance in Lisbon's direction, putting his hand deep into the bubbles he pulled out a handful and blew it all right in Lisbon's face, covering her with the soapy suds.

"Jane!"

Patrick grinned happily and boyishly, oh this was going to be a fun day, mostly for him, but hopefully for Lisbon too. This consultant had a few plans up his sleeve to make sure of that.


	12. Damn you phone!

**Hey I know I am sorry, again. Been soo much school work to do and now I have some major exams coming up so revision is desperately needed. I Hope you enjoy this instalment of the story and please don't forget to R and R. **

**A big thank you goes out to Josbon4ever and gilmoregirl1988 for being the only people to review the last chapter. Your reviews make me happy and we all know a happy writer writes more. Yeah see the link there people :P Anyway I shall shut up and let your read, enjoy!**

**Chapter 12 **

"So, since we aren't going into work today, what are we going to do with all that free time?" Jane asked, casually leaning back into the cushions of the sofa, staring mindlessly at the television.

"Well," Lisbon said, from her chair, her legs curled under her, "Personally I am going to go out for a jog in about half an hour. You can do whatever you like. You're welcome to join me you know." Lisbon offered knowing he hated exercise, well most types anyway.

"I don't think I'll come for the jog, not really my scene." Jane replied, flicking through the channels for the fourth time in an hour.

"Really you surprise me Jane." Lisbon answered sarcastically. "And will you please stop the incessant changing of the channels it's starting to get annoying."

"Really? Well I guess I should keep doing it then." He replied cheekily, continuing to flick through the channels.

"Jane, stop it now." Lisbon said, glaring at the annoying consultant.

"Make me _agent_ Lisbon" he stressed the word agent, he wasn't sure why, he just felt the need to.

"Right that's it, you're in for it now Jane." Lisbon pushed herself up and out of the chair she had been comfortably seated in, making a lunge towards the remote Jane was holding.

Patrick also leapt up, out of the sofa and dashed behind the piece of furniture, keeping it between him and Teresa.

"Jane, give me the remote now or... or" Lisbon said, darting sideways only to have her action mirrored by Jane, keeping them the same distance apart.

"Or what my dear?" he teased.

"Severe pain will infliction within the face department" she threatened, not sure whether she actually would hit him or not.

"You wouldn't Lisbon, you love me too much to hit me, especially in the face."

"Oh really and what makes you think that Jane?" she said, _Damn he's onto me _she thought in her mind.

"Oh I just know, mind reader remember," he tapped his head knowingly.

Lisbon practically growled and launched herself over the sofa and tackled Jane around the legs. Jane cried out in surprise and he was wrestled to the floor by his boss. He held his arm high above his head, Lisbon still trying to frantically reach it. She crawled up his body, now chest to chest with Jane. She reached out desperately trying to grab the remote, but his arms were longer than hers. She was still trying to grab the remote when she heard Jane talking to her.

"Well well well my dear, I didn't know you loved me this much," he said darkly from under her, "tackling me to the floor, I would have gone willingly you know. Didn't have to inflict back pain."

"Shut up Jane and give me the remote!" Lisbon said, voice strained as she reached.

Then Lisbon made her fatal error, she looked down at the man beneath her. The moment she did she shouldn't have, she was trapped in that moment. Just staring at him. His gorgeous blonde hair ruffled and a couple of the curls falling over his forehead. His green eyes sparkling back at her, mischief glinting from them. She lost herself in his eyes.

Jane was also lost in that moment. This beautiful woman lying on his chest, staring back him through dark lashes. Her emerald eyes shinning exquisitely in the light coming from the window behind them. His arm holding the remote relaxed slightly and the remote fell from his hand, yet neither of them seemed to notice.

Both of them leaned towards each other, almost automatically titling their heads in opposite directions. Their breathes mingled, limbs were suddenly loose and hanging pointlessly at the sides of their owners. Both of their eyes slowly slid shut as they came closer together, their lips almost touching. Lisbon swallowed nervously, but didn't back away. The arm that wasn't over his head Jane brought and rested it lightly against Lisbon's back. His palm splayed out against the shirt she wore.

Just then the phone rang, shrill through the silence in the room. They both sighed in unison, Jane let his head lean back down on the floor and Lisbon rolled off him and got up to go and get the phone.

_This had better be bloody important _Lisbon thought as she picked up the receiver.

"Agent Lisbon CBI," she answered professionally.

Jane got up from the floor, threw the remote onto the sofa and walked up to Lisbon. She was still talking to the person on the phone, staying very professional and answering in clear concise words. He stood right behind her, their bodies almost touching, almost but not quite. He tried to listen to what was going on on the other end of the conversation that had torn his Lisbon away from him on the floor.

"Thank you, yes I shall be in as soon as possible." Lisbon finished and put down the phone. She turned only to find Jane standing very very close behind her. She jumped slightly at his closeness to her.

"Jane don't do that."

"Do what my dear?" he asked innocently, looking down at her through those sparkling eyes.

"Sneak up on me all the time. Get your jacket on we're going to work." She stepped past him and walked into the bedroom to find some smarter clothes to put on.

"I thought we had the day off" Jane answered picking up his jacket from the arm of the sofa and slipping it on over his shoulders.

"We did, until the results of the negatives came back about a minute ago." Lisbon came out of the bedroom putting on her won jacket, grabbing her gun, keys and ID she made towards the door. "Come on Jane, we're going now,"

"Coming my dear," he walked past her through the open door.

This was something she could get used to, Lisbon thought as she locked the door. Having Jane at home more often and going out with him to work. Well she would just have to dream because it was never going to happen.

Well that's what she thought anyway.

Jane looked at Lisbon locking up the door to her apartment, he could get used to this, living with her. Going to work at the same time as her, travelling with her. Making her a more important part of his life, that was something that was a major component of his plan.

"Right come on, to the car Jane." She said and rushed past him, getting all flustered.

Jane just followed her like an adorable loyal puppy.


	13. Evidence

**Thank you all so much for staying with me so far. I know I haven't updated for a while but I have been really busy with school work. Right at this moment I am right in the middle of my A-levels and the stress is enormous right now. Anyway please read and review and most of all enjoy this next instalment. **

**Chapter 13 **

They drove is almost silence all the way to the CBI headquarters, I say almost silence as Jane insisted to Lisbon that he wanted the radio on. So with them tuned into a soft jazz station Jane sat and hummed quietly to himself for the entire journey. It was a nice change for Lisbon not to be arguing with Jane and to just enjoy his company on their journey, and also to have the time to think.

Her thoughts wondered around the Red John case and what the new breakthrough would mean for her and her team. But as her brain always did her thoughts strayed to Jane. Okay so maybe this time the two subjects were related, but most of the time they weren't. Sometimes she could go from thinking about what to get on that week's grocery shop to wondering what Jane could be up to right at that very moment where ever he may be. He even plagued her in her sleep. She kept having dreams about him. She really had consultant on the brain.

Midway through her musings Lisbon became aware of her passenger trying to gain her attention. Shaking her head slightly to rid herself of the amusing mental image of Jane jumping on a giant inflatable brain out of her head. She turned her attention to her co-worker/employee.

"Lisbon," Jane said, when he had finally gained her attention. "What exactly are we going into work for?"

"Well Jane, for a start we are bound to go to work at some point today, because as you often out it, I am a workaholic. And another thing is that they have the results of the negatives analysis back, and I thought you would like to be there to see them." Lisbon knew how much this whole case meant to Jane and she wasn't going to leave him out of such a massive leap forward, is she did the consequences didn't even bear thinking about.

"Thank you Lisbon, for understanding what this means to me." Jane said quietly, looking at his hands held together in his lap.

"It's okay Jane, I know." She wanted to pat his arm at this moment, to comfort him. But unfortunate she has to concentrate on driving, especially since there was quite a bit of traffic around today.

Eventually they arrived at the CBI headquarters and Lisbon parked her car in her usual space in the car park. They both silently climbed out of the car and made their way into the building, walking into the lift together and spending the whole time in easy silence.

A ping sounded through the quite of the lift and the pair stepped out into the usual hallway of the CBI. They swiftly made their way to the bull pen and found the rest of the team already there, all busy doing research.

Cho was looking through birth and death records for the area, trying to find any relations to their most recent murder victims, and by the slight look of frustration on his face, he was having very little luck. VanPelt was rapidly typing away on her computer, looking through financial records, looking for anomalies an other things that may lead to the presence of another person except for Sandra Travis and her husband. Rigsby was as usual sat at his desk, eating. This time he was tucking into a bag of monster much, pickled onion flavour, their scent permeating the entire room. Jane wrinkled his nose slightly in distaste.

"Hey everybody, progress check?" Lisbon asked as she entered the room beside Jane, both of them just standing there casually.

"Urm, haven't yet found any concrete proof of other family members apart from the brother, but I can't find any trace of him since he was sent away to a mental hospital, and even then I don't know which one it was." Cho looked up, face blank as per usual, but his eyes portrayed an apologetic look, "sorry boss, Jane."

"Good work Cho, it's okay, better than nothing right?" Lisbon smiled at her most faithful and loyal agent. "VanPelt?"

"Oh right yeah." The young agent said, taken slightly off guard. "Ur, seem to no anomalies in the financial records, not even a slightly strange purchase of any kind, or any bulk purchases. Apparently were a perfectly normal family with a normal, spotless financial record. Again sorry boss."

"Thank you Grace." Jane placed a hand gently on the young agents shoulder. Rigsby's eyes flashed for a moment, but then he quickly relaxed when he realised this was just a friendly motion, he was getting rather possessive recently.

"Right Jane," Lisbon said turning to the man who stood right beside her. "Are you coming to this evidence analysis thingy?"

"Of course I am, I want to see what we might be dealing with."

"Right, now you are only coming if you promise to behave yourself." She said sternly, pointing a finger threateningly in his face.

"I will I promise Lisbon okay" Jane said, holding his hands up in a surrender.

Soon they were sat round a lit table, pictures scattered all around them, many just showing a man and a woman. Sandra Travis and her husband, in a variety of places, from in their back garden to on exotic holidays to sunny places with palm trees and cocktails. In all of them the people seemed to be smiling, happy and relaxed, nothing to show any signs of stress.

There, however was one particular photo that didn't quite fit the theme that the rest of the other photos did. It did have Sandra in it, but the man standing next to her, hugging her round the middle, smiling into the camera most defiantly was not her husband.

"This is it," Jane said holding up the photo.

"You sure Jane, I mean it could be any one of these photos, none of them were in the house in any way apart from the negatives." Lisbon said, even though Jane's hunches usually turned out to be right, she wanted to make sure.

"Yes I am sure, come and look here." Jane said beckoning her forward, she stood behind him, although keeping her distance, not knowing how close she could get without making him feel uncomfortable. Although as usual with Jane he didn't appear to need his personal space, either that or didn't mind her invading it as he grabbed her arm carefully and pulled her almost flush against his back.

Jane and Lisbon's bodies brushed ever so slightly with every intake of breath from either party. She could feel the heat radiating from his body, he was warm and inviting, mmm, she really wanted to hug him right now. But no, must stay in control, must not hug Jane, especially right now at work, when he is actually working, and is onto a brainwave.

"This man," Jane continued, "Is clearly not her husband."

"Well I have gathered that much Jane, I am an agent for a reason you know" Lisbon said, slightly annoyed at him pointing out the obvious.

"But," Jane continued, "He is a relation, see here," Jane pointed to the man's ear and then the woman's. "That particular shape is almost identical on each person in this photo and so there for it cannot just be chance, they are related. Well that could mean father and daughter, but no they are too close in age, so by theory of deduction they must be brother and sister." Jane said, turning his head to smile at Lisbon.

"You know Jane," Lisbon said looking at him, their faces close. "Sometimes I do wish you didn't ramble and would just come out with it."

"You love it when I ramble Lisbon and you know it," he replied cheekily.

"Hmm" Lisbon just pursed her lips at him, took the photo from his fingers by the corner. She straightened up and began to walk from the room. But she was stopped by a voice.

"Lisbon?"

She turned to see Jane, standing there, looking tired and defeated. Vulnerable would be another word for it, in some ways it was adorable and in others it was saddening.

"Jane?"

"Could I ask you a favour?" He stuck his hand in his trouser pockets and rocked on the balls of his feet slightly.

"You can always ask." She was intrigued as to what could have made Jane this nervous about asking her something.

"Could I stay with you for a little while, I kinda don't want to spend any more time than I have to in that house at the moment. I hope you understand." He just kept looking down at his feet.

"Oh Jane," Lisbon said, hating to see anyone she cared about upset like this, "Of course you can, although I hope you don't mind my appalling housekeeping."

"I think I can cope with that." Jane said "I may even help you know, especially as I will be cluttering up your lounge for while." He smiled gently at her, obviously glad and grateful for her generosity.

"You don't have to clutter up the lounge Jane." Lisbon said as she walked out of the evidence room.

Jane was left there, hands in his pockets, locking quizzically after the woman who had just started to let him into her life.


End file.
